Posted October 20, 20177 yr comment_253482 Any extra payment is annoying but if one only pops into TP for a few hours, which I know quite a few people do, they have to now pay the extra for FN days. TP/Merlin have increased the "event" days and reduced the open days in between this year and especially in the last month. This is really annoying as if one only wants to ride, it costs £15 a day extra. I doubt I am the only one who is annoyed by this. I do know one person who went there every day, but never rode anything.
October 20, 20177 yr comment_253483 I’m assuming you mean with a standard pass? Premium has fright night included and I believe the only extra charges at Thorpe are for the ministry of sound nights. I can understand event charging - fright nights cost more due to the number of actors and they are a business which needs to be sustainable. That is why premium passes cost more - as you get more included. If you don’t want to do fright nights then the standard pass costs you less. If you want to go all the time then the premium covers you
November 5, 20177 yr comment_253813 That’s why the standard pass is cheaper than the premium. If you want to visit the London attractions over the summer and visit Fright Nights without the extra costs, you should get a premium pass.
November 5, 20177 yr comment_253815 It does leave Thorpe Park Annual Passholders stuck though - there is no Standard / Premium option (anymore? There might have been a couple of years back, but definitely isn't now). The TPAP has the same exclusions as a Standard Merlin AP. It's a bit poor really.
November 5, 20177 yr comment_253816 I remember when an annual pass meant an "annual" pass, there was no standard or premium, simply that an annual pass got you into the parks... annually!
November 5, 20177 yr comment_253820 28 minutes ago, Coaster said: I remember when an annual pass meant an "annual" pass, there was no standard or premium, simply that an annual pass got you into the parks... annually! 2003 is nearly 15 years ago now, thats the last time the annual pass was a proper annual pass without tiers or visit limits.
November 5, 20177 yr comment_253822 3 minutes ago, Mark9 said: 2003 is nearly 15 years ago now, thats the last time the annual pass was a proper annual pass without tiers or visit limits. I could visit Fright Nights in 2008 without paying £5, and the standard/premium thing was brought in around 2010/11 if I recall correctly?
November 5, 20177 yr comment_253823 Though not to excuse Thorpe / Merlin, plenty of theme parks across the world that offer Annual Passes have exclusion dates / charge extra for special events, and have a tiered system. It's fast becoming common in the industry. These things are more noticeable within Merlin though, because: 1) There's a lot AP holders out there, creating a need for upcharging in some cases. 2) They have more explicit special events days (firework shows are a big deal for example, whereas other parks have fireworks more as standard). 3) The low cost of a Standard MAP. They ARE cheap, when you take into the fact you can access 30 something attractions for free, you get excellent value for money if you use it correctly. The upcharges help make the money to keep the price low.
November 5, 20177 yr comment_253825 In regards to the Thorpe Park Annual Pass, they are really cheap, practically the price of a day ticket when they’re on sale. So IMO, there is no dilemma. If you want all access all the time, pay more for a Merlin Premium Pass. They always have a new year and summer sale.
November 6, 20177 yr comment_253863 People also forget that companies like Disney and Universal also have different pass tier levels with blackout dates and events not included or requiring a small fee. The American parks may have as many as five pass tiers. The other thing about upcharges is it limits the amount of people visiting too as otherwise Thorpe would reach capacity every night, which is somewhere around 17K (based on a full lineup).
November 6, 20177 yr comment_253867 Merlin offer a way better deal than the Disney annual passes. We're very lucky to get the 20% discount on everything (alcohol, food, gifts) and everyone in the party can gain from it if only one person in the group has the pass. Over at Disney only the pass holder is allowed to make use of the 10% (or sometimes 5%) discount.
November 7, 20177 yr Author comment_253875 Having considered the replies I should add now, that yes, I do have the TP pass , which allows access to TP and no other location or event, I understand that. There are conditions which basically, as with all passes, means that the issuing company can move the goal posts when they like, TP have done that as I stated at the start of this. Obviously there is no set date of limited access when one purchases the pass, and for those who state the obvious, yes I could have got another type of pass. I paid a low sum for what is described as an Annual Pass but once purchesed became a limited pass and an extra day was not the £15 as I stated but £20. In it's original form, the TP pass suited me, I don't purchase food or drink when I'm there, it's very different when one is not with other people.
November 8, 20177 yr comment_253895 On 07/11/2017 at 12:07 PM, Benin said: Does a MAP give you a free mocktail though? CHECK... MATE... Whos drinking a mocktail full stop, thats just laughable
November 8, 20177 yr comment_253900 I know, shocking to be able to visit a park you don't have to be drunk to enjoy...
November 9, 20177 yr comment_253916 17 hours ago, Benin said: I know, shocking to be able to visit a park you don't have to be drunk to enjoy... Dont have to be drunk, but either drink a cocktail or dont. F*cking mocktail lol
November 9, 20177 yr comment_253917 3 minutes ago, StevenVig said: Dont have to be drunk, but either drink a cocktail or dont. F*cking mocktail lol
November 9, 20177 yr comment_253918 17 minutes ago, StevenVig said: Dont have to be drunk, but either drink a cocktail or dont. F*cking mocktail lol
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